


I Dance

by pyroclastics



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Bittersweet, M/M, Possible Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-30 09:29:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10873962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyroclastics/pseuds/pyroclastics
Summary: Yixing risks everything for his passion.





	I Dance

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in July, 2013. One of my old favorites actually, my last hurrah with Fanxing.

The first time he catches Yixing dancing again, Wufan steps in and drags him from the studio. He should never had trusted the younger. Popping out for five minutes only to vanish for hours. He doesn't know why he keeps giving into that dimpled smile, and he has to block it from his view with the brim of his cap while Yixing struggles to get out of his arms. "I'm a dancer! I'm a dancer!" Yixing kept crying even though his legs throbbed. Everything throbbed. "No, you're not. You're an ex-dancer. Stop trying." Wufan reprimands him - he hates how he has to reprimand him - pushing him into the taxi and demanding the driver step on the gas before Yixing can escape.

"I'll be fine." Yixing's stubborn. Too stubborn for anything as he glares out the window and proceeds to give Wufan the silent treatment for the rest of the night. It's so childish and endearing that he wants to hug Yixing, but he can't. Anytime he gets close and Yixing just glares at him like he's in the depths of penury and doesn't dare take hand outs.

He figures Yixing stopped trusting anything the moment the doctor forbade him from his art.

~~~

The second time he catches Yixing dancing, he lets him be. It's been a year and if Yixing's kept at it, he's been sly about it. But the way he moves, Wufan thinks he really hasn't fought it much. Plus, Yixing's only vacuuming their apartment and Wufan's hiding in the entryway, gazing at Yixing who dances to music only he can hear.

When the machine is shut off, Wufan steps out of hiding and offers an approbatory round of soft applause. Yixing snaps out of his daze with a look of apprehension. "I'm not doing anything wrong." He mutters, gaze falling to their carpeted floor.

"I know. It's okay." Wufan smiles, unplugging the cord for Yixing so he doesn't have to bend down. He tries his best to make life as easy as he can for the younger...it must suck to have everything you dreamed of taken away from you in a flash.

~~~

The third time it's while Wufan is off on an extended business trip, and he hears about it in an email from Luhan. The older boy is so excited to let him know to hurry back soon for Yixing's performance and Wufan can hardly believe he's been held up in Seoul for so long. Was two months enough time for Yixing to worm himself into a company and land a solo in their spring showcase? Apparently.

Wufan's almost glad he can't get out of work to go see it. He lands in Guangzhou the next day and heads straight to the hospital to hold a frustrated Yixing's hand while the nurses lecture him on all exhaustive motion.

Collapsing on stage wasn't really part of the act.

Yixing's so dangerously stubborn he won't even ask Wufan to help him walk to the car, and Wufan acts as mendicant, prodding around his own offices to try and land Yixing a job. Something at a desk. Something where years of dance training with barely a high school diploma will hold up on a job application. Yixing's furious when he hears about the desk job, and again he refuses to speak.

He won't let Wufan hold him in bed either. They both stare at the ceiling in silence until Yixing gives in and takes Wufan's hand. "You're such a big baby." He grumbles when Wufan lets out a sigh. "I told you. A million times over... I'm fine."

He's not fine.

~~~

The fourth time, they're both just barely pushing forty and it's been a while since the topic came up. Wufan takes him to the ice rink for a date, and some old pop song they'd both loved in high school blares over the speakers for the 'throwback couples' skate, whatever that was supposd to mean. Yixing's old routine comes back in a flash, letting go of Wufan's hand and bouncing on the ice. He spins once, while Wufan looks on in terror.

His smile's faded - but no damage done.

Wufan sighs in relief.

He's okay.

He's not okay.

"My side's hurting." Yixing mentions offhandedly at dinner the next night, and Wufan offers to get him an ice pack but Yixing declines. "It's alright - It's not that bad. I can handle it."

Wufan always loved Yixing's determination. His stupid determination that lit up in his eyes and engendered Wufan to long for him in the first place.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Yixing's suddenly adding on just as casually and it surprises Wufan, but he nods. "Yeah, I do. I love you too." "You'll be okay, then." "What?" "You'll understand."

Wufan is clueless, but follows Yixing's lead when the younger nudges him to pay so they can leave the restaurant. Yixing holds his hand a little tighter and Wufan wonders what's going on in his mind. The wheels are churning but he can't read him at all. Yixing was always difficult to read. Their fingers lace together and Yixing leans up to kiss him under a street lamp. Wufan's not sure why but something clenches in his gut, and when Yixing pulls back he leans forward more. Maybe it's animal instinct - a deeper understanding of his love than his own brain can't comprehend.

"Take a different taxi back home, okay? I'm going to the store. To pick up some things...is there anything you need?" Yixing's not meeting his eyes but Wufan thinks nothing of it. They weren't affectionate in public very often and an older couple just walked past casting them concerned looks. Yixing was probably just embarrassed.

"I don't think so, no." He shakes his head. "I'll be waiting at home."

"It might take a while."

Wufan frowns, and Yixing's still resisting his gaze. But he leans forward and presses one more soft kiss on Yixing's supple lips. Their hands part and Wufan climbs into his own taxi, gazing at Yixing's retreating back in the rear view mirror.

Yixing doesn't come home that night, and Wufan calls up everyone they know in a panic. No one has answers and the pit of his stomach starts to twist in on itself, all the horrific possibilities crawling in to fill the gaps. When his phone rings at two in the morning he doesn't recognize the number but he answers anyway.

"...Wufan?"

It's Yixing, and it sounds like he's crying. Wufan throws a pile of questions at him but Yixing doesn't answer any of them, and he can picture the younger shaking his head vigorously, and all he hears for a little bit is some kind of strangled whine. "Yixing, what's happening? Where are you?" He asks again. Something's very wrong that shouldn't be wrong.

"Wufan...I can do it still..." "Can do what?" "My old...r-routine." Wufan stares at the phone, and this definitely doesn't sound like any supposed trip to the store. There's another sob on the line and Wufan can't tell if it's from Yixing or himself, too busy grabbing his coat and haphazardly shoving his arms into the sleeves. "Wufan...t-tell me why...you love me."

Yixing's voice is so weak and Wufan hesitates to reply. He wants to know the whats and the wheres and how far he has to run before he can scoop Yixing up in his arms. Yixing always cared more about the whys.

"How could I not? You're you." He feels really dumb right now and he thinks for a second he can hear Yixing laugh. He loves Yixing's laugh. It's broken though, and punctuated with another whimper while Wufan locks the door and starts walking. "You're the dreamer to my reality, Yixing... You're special. You're stubborn and you never ask anything of me but you're the most grateful person in the world. You work so hard and you're so independent. You're so passionate. How could I not fall in love with you?"

"Oh..."

He hears crying again and speeds up, not even sure where he's walking to. Wufan trusts in his feet, far more concerned with what's happening on the phone to even bother looking both ways when he crosses a street. Some car honks at him and he speeds up, narrowly missing a collision. "W-what was that?" Yixing asks. "Nothing...Yixing, where are you?"

Third time's a charm.

"T-The studio."

"Why... are you at the studio?" He figures it's about time he ask for reasons. Wufan suddenly isn't sure he has much time left to ask for reasons.

He's a block away when Yixing chokes out an answer. "To dance...Wufan, I-I recorded it. The one from high school...t-that I'd dedicated to you. Remember?"

Of course he remembers. Yixing danced in a recital their second year and afterwards met Wufan backstage holding flowers. It had been such a risky move on his part, but the younger had practically lept into his arms with their first public kiss, and Wufan's heart swelled at the very thought. That song had always been their song. And it was the song playing at the ice rink the other day too... "I d-"

"I can't feel my legs, Wufan."

"Hold on, Yixing. Hold on.." Wufan bangs on the studio door until a night guard lets him in, and he's sobbing and running to the room Yixing always used. He nearly falls down, catching the door handle for support and then yanking it open. Yixing's crumpled on the ground and Wufan's not even sure where the blood is coming from. But something the doctors had warned for years and years of finally gave way, and Yixing's barely got his eyes open when Wufan takes the phone out of his hand. "Yixing... Yixing... It's okay. I'll call the hospital. You'll be okay."

He might not be - Wufan's not sure.

Wufan holds Yixing's hand as he calls for an ambulance, and soon they hear sirens rushing down the street outside. Yixing weakly tugs Wufan down and kisses him again, like it might be the last kiss of his life and their tears mingle on his cheeks. "I-I'm sorry." He whispers, and Wufan tries to hug the pain away. "I won't...anymore. I-I probably can't... I just..." Yixing's head leans against his shoulder and he's speaking into Wufan's neck as the paramedics burst in. "My last dance h-had to be for you."


End file.
